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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27652619">Pas De Deux</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/skeletonfvckr/pseuds/skeletonfvckr'>skeletonfvckr</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Ballet, Ballerina Daniel LaRusso, Ballerina Johnny Lawrence, Dancing Lessons, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Hurt/Comfort, I'll tag it when I get there, M/M, Written by someone who has no idea what they're talking about, pls forgive me</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:48:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,243</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27652619</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/skeletonfvckr/pseuds/skeletonfvckr</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Being the best dancer in the entire valley meant Johnny could do whatever he wanted, even if it meant hell for Daniel.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Pas De Deux</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>just saying this rn and never again that i've never danced before so sorry if this is kinda inaccurate :|  if randoms on this site can write mafia aus without ever having been in the mafia then i can try writing a ballet au, right? pls give me feedback tho</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The door to the studio was propped open, letting some of its light stream into the dark hallway where Daniel stood next to the cubby. He shook his water bottle, hearing its hollow sloshing. His muscles hurt, and his arms and back burned worst of all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Being the only guy in class, their teacher made him do all the lifts which usually wasn’t so bad, but the entire lesson today was on lifts and body locking. It was fine the first couple of times, getting close to the girls, doing basic lifts, giving them feedback, but after a whole class of it he felt like his body was about to collapse in on itself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And yet it strangely felt good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daniel only had to change his shoes, (which was good considering there was no locker room) stuffing his flats into his bag, and slipping on his street shoes. The studio was only a small thing tucked behind a music store that let the girls use its bathroom to change. It was far from fancy but Daniel didn’t care so long as he could afford it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Someone tapped him on the shoulder but ducked behind him before he could see who it was. He had to swivel twice over to finally catch Ali who laughed at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were great today, Daniel.” She complimented him, grabbing her own bag from the cubby. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not too bad yourself.” He smiled, walking with her as she turned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her nose scrunched up. “What’s that supposed to mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you know how we’re never supposed to reach perfection, right? You kinda goofed on that part most of the class.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She rolled her eyes before playfully shoving him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Any plans for the weekend?” She asked him. Their sneakers squeaked against the concrete hall’s floor. Daniel would’ve said “dancing” if the studio was opened on the weekends, but it wasn’t, so...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing much, what about you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My friends and I were thinking about hanging out at golf n stuff, wanna come with?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Depends on who’ll be there.” Daniel held the door for Ali, before following her into the music store.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “Just my friends and a few of their boyfriends.” She responded, leaning against the water jug Daniel always used to fill his water bottle up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He held his bottle underneath the tap with a smile. “So I’m finally being promoted from ‘friend’?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe. Maybe not.” She joked. “I’m just trying you on for size first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like a shoe?” He scoffed. “Does that mean you’re gonna toss me out after three days?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Only if you can’t keep up.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daniel caught his lip between his teeth when he grinned. “Tempting.” He said before gasping, his hand suddenly very wet. He looked back down at the overflowing water bottle, quickly turning the tap off and sipping at the water that threatened to spill over the edge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” An employee caught both of their attention. “I thought I told you not to use our jug! Get your own water, man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daniel screwed the yellow cap back onto his bottle before sidestepping to put a drum set between him and the employee. “We’re right next to an ocean, there’s plenty to go around!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me that when the next drought hits.” The employee grimaced, clearly not in the mood to start chasing him over a bit of water at the moment. He cocked his head at the front door. “Get out of here. Next time I catch you, I’m lacing it with salt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Understandable,” Daniel said politely before glancing at Ali. She was smiling, so that was good. Unless she was laughing at him, then that wasn’t good. He sheepishly returned the smile and was relieved when she giggled and brushed past him, (not in a hard way, but like a soft way) walking towards the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He followed her, hearing the employee mumble under his breath as he did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The entire world seemed to have an orange glow to it, courtesy of the setting sun. Daniel squinted against it as he caught up to Ali.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what time should I start heading over to the fun center?” He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hummed. “Around two. Do you need a ride?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No thanks,” He waved her off. “I have full faith in my bike to get me anywhere I need to go. A couple blocks to a date is no problem.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now who said it was a date?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did.” He said with a spout of confidence. Ali shook her head but looked happy, so Daniel took the mixed signal as positive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They walked in silence for a moment before Daniel built up the courage to ask her something that he dreaded. “Fitting me on for size, eh? Are you comfortable moving on to something like that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That made her pause, just like he thought it would. “Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her answer could’ve been worse. Daniel was toying with a subject that he hadn’t prodded at before, but he felt it was necessary.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure? Even after your ex?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I hadn’t moved on I wouldn’t have asked you out on a date.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So it </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>a date?” Daniel couldn’t help himself. She gave him a look before pushing him lightly with her shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine. It’s a date. But you don’t have to worry about my ex.” Ali pushed closer to him. Daniel didn’t know much about her ex. He didn’t even know his name. All he knew was that he did ballet too, and Ali couldn’t stand to even be in the same building as him. There was a reason a girl like her was practicing in a studio like that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A car pulled up beside them, the window sliding down to reveal Ali’s father and his scornful face. Daniel wondered if there was a rule where if your income gets to a certain level you’re required to sit on a stick the same size as it, cause if there was, he could only imagine how big the stick up Mr. Mill’s ass was. Ali looked back at Daniel with a worried expression before deciding to leave him with a smile. “Two o’clock, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, you betcha.” Daniel nodded at her. Having to watch her get into the car and peel away hurt like a bitch. But knowing he was going to see her again tomorrow strangely felt good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He scoffed to himself as he walked down the sidewalk, wondering what kind of loser she dated before to be willing to go out with him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>~.~</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Arabesque!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Johnny’s vision was spotty. He could see himself double in the mirror as he came to a stop mid </span>
  <span>fouetté. He wobbled more than he should have as he pushed his leg back and up, his arms stretched out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kreese began walking circles around him, eyeing for anything wrong. Johnny held the arabesque with a tight core and an aching leg, not even daring to breathe in fear it’d make him shake. He’d been so sloppy the entire rehearsal. There was no room for mistakes right now. There was no room for mistakes </span>
  <b>period</b>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The studio was tilting in his mind, his head not having caught up with his body. It felt like he was still spinning. Still getting it wrong. The past hour was just him not being able to keep his leg at the right angle with Kreese giving him hell for it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was after rehearsals when Kreese had pulled him aside. He didn’t like the fact that Johnny wasn’t giving his all and had him go through a piece, teaching him that if he didn’t put in 100% when it didn’t matter, he wouldn’t be able to when it did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All it took was one stumble for Johnny to realize that he was right.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I better not see that leg go down again!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>still rang in Johnny’s ears as he focused on keeping his body as still as possible. He didn’t need to be told to hold it.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I don’t care if it hurts.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Pain didn’t matter just so long as Johnny kept it to himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“The moment those tears leave your eyes,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>He’d lose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kreese stalked in his peripheral vision before putting his hand underneath his ankle and lifting it ever so slightly. Johnny locked his leg, knowing he was expected to keep the correction.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hold…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hold…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hold…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“At ease.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He finally breathed. His foot fell to the floor with a heavy thud as blood rushed back into his leg. Johnny savored each moment he wasn’t in pain with a grain of salt, feeling empty yet on edge in anticipation for the next step.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No matter how great the pain got there was always the feeling of loss when it ended.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mind telling me what’s distracting you, Lawrence?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He swallowed. “Just trouble with my girlfriend.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whatever trouble you’re in, get out of it.” Kreese walked over to the music player, fiddling with it. “I can’t have you disengaged. Especially this close to competition season.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was right. Even if competitions weren’t set until three months from now, it would be stupid to not take every second he had to prepare. Competitions meant appointments and meetings and showing that you were good enough for everyone’s time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, sir. It’s just,” He sighed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Use your words or don’t speak at all.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, sir.” Johnny straightened his posture. “It’s just that my girlfriend has been avoiding me to the point of practicing at a different studio. And a couple of my friends told me she’s even seeing someone new.” He didn’t know much, but he knew enough. “He’s a dancer too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is he better than you?” Kreese’s words were muffled slightly now. The distinct smell of cigar began filling the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If he was, you would, so don’t worry about it.” He turned back to Johnny. “Take my advice, kid, and take it fast. If you don’t like what’s going on, change it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ali wouldn’t even talk to him. It’d be hard to change anything with a relationship on those terms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kreese could see him questioning things, even if not verbally. “You have the whole world to use to your advantage. Get creative, ‘cause I know this situation is only going to hold you back until it’s resolved.” He reached back and flipped the music on. “I care about your performance, Mr. Lawrence, and I will use what little reach I have outside of this studio to help you in any way I can. Remember that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Johnny nodded. He learned to never question Kreese a long time ago. Everything he had ever done, ever taught, or ever asked of Johnny always led to greater things. Even if it didn’t seem that way at the time. Johnny learned to take a retrospective view when it came to Kreese’s orders. Seeing them for not what they are but as what they will bring later on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greatness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But recently he had been testing Johnny. Leaving his suggestions more open-ended, letting Johnny think for himself on occasions he didn’t expect. He was teaching him independence. After all, he’d be shipped off to the best company you could think of after this season, so the strings Kreese pulled in the studio would be severed completely after that. He needed to learn how to handle things without him. It was just another lesson he had to learn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And if he wanted to know how to make the right decisions that always led to greatness, he’d need to adopt his teacher’s mentality while he still could.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Teacher’s mentality…</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“From the top.” Kreese called out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Johnny cleared his head, finally able to push everything out of his mind for the first time that night. With a deep breath, he gave himself over completely to the art he was going to dedicate his entire life to, already knowing the answer to his little problem.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>~.~</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Ali,” Daniel greeted her at the barre. She seemed excited.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, Daniel.” She waved at him, giving him butterflies without even knowing it. Golf n stuff had been a success in Daniel’s book. They had held hands the entire night and he even got a little peck on the cheek in the photo booth because </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Everybody’s doing it!”</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It was great. “Did you hear that the teacher is thinking of keeping the studio open on the weekends?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He raised an eyebrow at her before grabbing the barre and starting his usual exercises. “Really? What changed?” Their teacher was an old woman who ran the whole thing by herself, so it was surprising to hear that she was changing the schedule up when she seemed so keen on having the weekends off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s hiring new help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now who in the world would want to work in a dinky old place like this?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, class,” Speak of the devil, the teacher came in. “Today we are going to have an observer. If all goes well, he may even be your new teacher, so please show respect to our guest Mr. Lawrence.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daniel glanced at Ali for the sake of looking at her and was surprised to see how pale she had gotten all of a sudden.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked back at the door to see Mr. Lawrence step in. He looked younger than Daniel had expected. A bit too young... and the way his eyes immediately went to Ali…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not who I think it is, is it?” Daniel whispered to her, the name ‘Lawrence’ suddenly sounding a lot more familiar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>tumblr: skeletonfvckr</p></blockquote></div></div>
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